Examples of an apparatus for forming images through an electrophotographic image forming process that is known to date include an image forming apparatus having a configuration including an intermediate transfer member. This image forming apparatus uniformly charges the surface of a drum-shaped electrophotographic photoconductor (hereinafter referred to as a photoconductor drum) with electricity at first using a charging unit (hereinafter referred to as a charging roller). Then, the image forming apparatus exposes the photoconductor drum with light to form an electrostatic latent image and then renders the electrostatic latent image visible (develops the electrostatic latent image) with toner using a developing unit.
Subsequently, as a first transfer process, the image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum to the intermediate transfer member and repeatedly transfers toner images of multiple different colors to the intermediate transfer member to form the toner images of multiple colors on the surface of the intermediate transfer member. Subsequently, as a second transfer process, the image forming apparatus supplies a voltage to a second transfer member from a high voltage power supply to collectively transfer the toner images of multiple colors formed on the intermediate transfer member to the surface of a transfer medium such as a paper sheet. The collectively transferred toner images are then permanently fixed onto the transfer medium by a fixing unit, so that a color image is formed.
PTL 1 discloses a configuration that performs a first transfer using a belt-shaped member as an intermediate transfer member (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate transfer belt) and causing an electric current to flow from an electric-current supplying member, which touches the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt, to a voltage maintenance element connected to an opposing roller. This configuration first-transfers toner images to the intermediate transfer belt by using a second transfer member as the electric-current supplying member and causing an electric current to flow from the electric-current supplying member in the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt.